Vishnu is a major god in Hinduism and Indian mythology, he is considered "the protector" of the universe. Other gods, Brahma and Shiva, are the creator and the destroyer of the universe. The original worship of Vishnu, by the Aryan conquerers or the Dravidian inhabitants is not known. In the ancient Vedas, Vishnu was ranked among the lower gods, and was associated with Indra, who in the epics fought the dragons and the demonic forces. He was raised to higher rankings within the Hindu pantheon, he became the prominent second god of the Trimurti, the Hindu Triad, with Brahma first and Shiva third. In Puranic literature, he is said to be an eternal, all prevading spirit, and is associated with the primeval waters. The primeval waters believed to have been omnipresent before the creation of the universe. Being the preserver evolved from two other beliefs: that men attain salvaton by faithfully following predetermined paths of duty, and that the two powers of good and evil (gods and demons) are in contention for domination over the world.
Vishnu is pictured always with blue or black skin, and usually four arms. The four arms express dominon over the four directions of space.
1. The Quest for Knowledge
2. Family Life
3. Retreat into the Forest
4. Renunciation
They further signify the four aims of life, these are:
a. Duty and Virtue
b. Material Goods, Wealth, and Success
c. Pleasure, Sexuality, and Enjoyment
d. Liberation
Vishnu means "all prevading", and is the protector of the world and the restorer of moral order (dharma). He is described as being peaceful, compassionate, and merciful. Vishnu is often pictured with his consort, Lakshmi, and usually has four arms, and each hand is holding something that symbolizes his divinity: the conch, the discus, the lotus, and the club. A curl of hair on his chest symbolizes immortality, he also wears the jewel of Kaustubha around his neck. Vishu is best known through his ten avatars (or incarnations), which appear on earth when there is disorder in the world:
1.Matsya (fish)
2. Kurma (turtle)
3. Varaha (boar)
4. Narasimha (man-lion)
5. Vamana (dwarf)
6. Parashurama (warrior-priest)
7. Rama (prince)
8. Krishna (cow herd)
9. Buddha (sage)
10. Kalki (horseman, who has yet to appear)
"The world rests as the lotus in the palm of my hand, and the cosmos revolves around my finger like a discus. I blow the music of life from my conch, and wield my mace to protect all creatures." - Vishnu
Citations
Vishnu. Alan G. Hefner. 26 May 1999. Encyclopedia Mythica. 7 September 2009. www.pantheon.org/articles/v/vishnu.html
Vishnu. Nita Kumar. 2002. India Exotic Arts and Religion Facts. 7 September 2009. www.religionfacts.com/hinduism/deities/vishnu.htm
For this project we used both the MICDS library databases and we used the search tactics which Ms. Williamson taught us on Tuesday. The library databases are great tools which offer very detailed and high class information for use in projects just like these. The databases offer information that is there specifically for use by students like us. It is trusted and accurate information so we know that what we are using is correct.The search tactics that we learned on Tuesday are also great to use for projects like these. These strategies will eliminate most unwanted search results. This makes the project both easier and simpler.
Notes
Vishnu is the preserver and destroyer and he is a part of the three aspects of the Supreme Being in the Hindu religion. The three gods Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva all symbolize the divine essence of the universe. The Hindus believe Vishnu emerges from his sleep when the world is in danger. He then takes the form of avatars or incarnations. In each form Vishnu fights the forces of evil that threaten to ruin the balance of the world. He transformed into Matsaya, the fish to save people from the flood. As Kurma the tortoise he helped churn the ocean to get the drink of immortality. He turned into Varaha, the boar he could raise the earth from the ocean. In his role of the preserver. 10 of these forms are widely known. He is often depicted riding a Garuda Bird or reclining on Shesha, a sea serpent with a lotus flower in his belly button. The snake represents Earth. Vishnu on top of the sea serpent represents him serving as the preserver of the Earth. He is widely worshiped today, but during the Vedic Age he was only a minor sun god. He is still believed to reside in the ocean and rise in some form to restore order.
de Vos, John, Michael Dermitzakis, and Alexandra van der Geer. "Fossil folklore from India: the Siwalik Hills and the Mahabharata." Folklore. 119.1 (Apr. 2008): p71. Literature Resource Center. Gale. MARY INSTITUTE & ST LOUIS DAY SCHOOL. 9 Sept. 2009 <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=sain62671>.
· Fossil ammonites (salagrama) are known to be worshiped as the chakra (disk) of the god Vishnu · Vishnu is the 4 arm sustainer · Hari, and Marayana are other names for Vishnu · It is said that Vishnu resides in the salagrama stone, the tulsi plant, the pipal tree, and the kusha grass
· Second member of Holy Trinity · Known as the preserver of dharma in the universe · Hari- The remover · All 4 hands has a symbol: sankha (conch shell), a gada (mace), the lotus (padma), and the chakra (a disk that destroys evil) · His vehicle is the eagle which is in Vedic knowledge · Vishnu’s consort is the goddess of wealth and prosperity, Lakshmi · Represented in dark colors, lying on the huge serpent which represents the sleeping universe · “ The avtars (incarnations) Vishnu adopted for the destruction of evil are Matsya (fish), Kurma (turtle), Varaha (boar), Narasimha (the man-lion), Vamana (the dwarf), Parashurama (the warrior-priest), Rama (the prince), Krishna (the cowherd), Buddha-Mayamoha (the sage) and Kalki (the horseman).”
To find these sites we chose to go to the MICDS library in the database section. When we were there we clicked on the art and literature section. To find these sites in the database we searched for Vishnu and India. We learned this technique from Ms.Williamson's demonstration. The database helped very mush because when we would search anything about Vishnu good, reliable sources would come up. The information on advanced searches that we learned from Ms.Williamson also helps a lot when you are trying to make your search more precise. This is what our group did to locate information on Vishnu.
Our piece of art is called Vishnu. The Hindu religion is based off of the belief that the universe is one. "From as early as the sixth century through the tenth, figures with a human head in the center, a boar's head to the right, and a lion's head to the left played an important role in the art and religious beliefs of Kashmir. There is a vertical third eye in the center of the human head, and the figure holds a conch shell in his left hand. The small attendant on the left is Chakrapurusha, the personification of the war discus, originally balanced on his right by Gadadevi, the female personification of Vishnu's battle mace. The upper half of Prithvi, the earth goddess, stands between the figure's legs. The demonic grimacing face, carved in low relief at the back of the halo, suggests this sculpture dates to the late eighth or early ninth century, when such fourth heads were commonly added to these images.Traditionally, sculptures such as this one have been identified as representations of the Hindu god Vishnu and two of his avatars, or descents, during which he took the forms of a lion and a boar in order to save the cosmos."Vishnu is important to the hindu religion because of the different meanings of each symbol placed on Vishnu. The boars head, the lions head, the conch, and the third eye all have a different meaning to Hinduism and represent Vishnu. Personally I like the boar and the lion head on each sides of his face because the lion represents how he saved a girl from the wrath of her evil father and the boar because he rescued the earth from drowning from the giant flood.
Vishnu is a major god in Hinduism and Indian mythology, he is considered "the protector" of the universe. Other gods, Brahma and Shiva, are the creator and the destroyer of the universe. The original worship of Vishnu, by the Aryan conquerers or the Dravidian inhabitants is not known. In the ancient Vedas, Vishnu was ranked among the lower gods, and was associated with Indra, who in the epics fought the dragons and the demonic forces. He was raised to higher rankings within the Hindu pantheon, he became the prominent second god of the Trimurti, the Hindu Triad, with Brahma first and Shiva third. In Puranic literature, he is said to be an eternal, all prevading spirit, and is associated with the primeval waters. The primeval waters believed to have been omnipresent before the creation of the universe. Being the preserver evolved from two other beliefs: that men attain salvaton by faithfully following predetermined paths of duty, and that the two powers of good and evil (gods and demons) are in contention for domination over the world.
Vishnu is pictured always with blue or black skin, and usually four arms. The four arms express dominon over the four directions of space.
1. The Quest for Knowledge
2. Family Life
3. Retreat into the Forest
4. Renunciation
They further signify the four aims of life, these are:
a. Duty and Virtue
b. Material Goods, Wealth, and Success
c. Pleasure, Sexuality, and Enjoyment
d. Liberation
Vishnu means "all prevading", and is the protector of the world and the restorer of moral order (dharma). He is described as being peaceful, compassionate, and merciful. Vishnu is often pictured with his consort, Lakshmi, and usually has four arms, and each hand is holding something that symbolizes his divinity: the conch, the discus, the lotus, and the club. A curl of hair on his chest symbolizes immortality, he also wears the jewel of Kaustubha around his neck. Vishu is best known through his ten avatars (or incarnations), which appear on earth when there is disorder in the world:
1.Matsya (fish)
2. Kurma (turtle)
3. Varaha (boar)
4. Narasimha (man-lion)
5. Vamana (dwarf)
6. Parashurama (warrior-priest)
7. Rama (prince)
8. Krishna (cow herd)
9. Buddha (sage)
10. Kalki (horseman, who has yet to appear)
"The world rests as the lotus in the palm of my hand, and the cosmos revolves around my finger like a discus. I blow the music of life from my conch, and wield my mace to protect all creatures." - Vishnu
Citations
Vishnu. Alan G. Hefner. 26 May 1999. Encyclopedia Mythica. 7 September 2009. www.pantheon.org/articles/v/vishnu.html
Vishnu. Nita Kumar. 2002. India Exotic Arts and Religion Facts. 7 September 2009. www.religionfacts.com/hinduism/deities/vishnu.htm
"Vishnu." World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2009. Web. 9 Sep. 2009. <http://www.ancienthistory.abc-clio.com>.
For this project we used both the MICDS library databases and we used the search tactics which Ms. Williamson taught us on Tuesday. The library databases are great tools which offer very detailed and high class information for use in projects just like these. The databases offer information that is there specifically for use by students like us. It is trusted and accurate information so we know that what we are using is correct.The search tactics that we learned on Tuesday are also great to use for projects like these. These strategies will eliminate most unwanted search results. This makes the project both easier and simpler.
Notes
Vishnu is the preserver and destroyer and he is a part of the three aspects of the Supreme Being in the Hindu religion. The three gods Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva all symbolize the divine essence of the universe. The Hindus believe Vishnu emerges from his sleep when the world is in danger. He then takes the form of avatars or incarnations. In each form Vishnu fights the forces of evil that threaten to ruin the balance of the world. He transformed into Matsaya, the fish to save people from the flood. As Kurma the tortoise he helped churn the ocean to get the drink of immortality. He turned into Varaha, the boar he could raise the earth from the ocean. In his role of the preserver. 10 of these forms are widely known. He is often depicted riding a Garuda Bird or reclining on Shesha, a sea serpent with a lotus flower in his belly button. The snake represents Earth. Vishnu on top of the sea serpent represents him serving as the preserver of the Earth. He is widely worshiped today, but during the Vedic Age he was only a minor sun god. He is still believed to reside in the ocean and rise in some form to restore order.
de Vos, John, Michael Dermitzakis, and Alexandra van der Geer. "Fossil folklore from India: the Siwalik Hills and the Mahabharata." Folklore. 119.1 (Apr. 2008): p71. Literature Resource Center. Gale. MARY INSTITUTE & ST LOUIS DAY SCHOOL. 9 Sept. 2009 <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=sain62671>.
· Fossil ammonites (salagrama) are known to be worshiped as the chakra (disk) of the god Vishnu
· Vishnu is the 4 arm sustainer
· Hari, and Marayana are other names for Vishnu
· It is said that Vishnu resides in the salagrama stone, the tulsi plant, the pipal tree, and the kusha grass
"Lord Vishnu: The Preserver of the Universe". 7th June, 2005.Online Highways LLC. 9 sept. 2009 http://www.india9.com/i9show/Lord-Vishnu-29899.htm
· Second member of Holy Trinity
· Known as the preserver of dharma in the universe
· Hari- The remover
· All 4 hands has a symbol: sankha (conch shell), a gada (mace), the lotus (padma), and the chakra (a disk that destroys evil)
· His vehicle is the eagle which is in Vedic knowledge
· Vishnu’s consort is the goddess of wealth and prosperity, Lakshmi
· Represented in dark colors, lying on the huge serpent which represents the sleeping universe
· “ The avtars (incarnations) Vishnu adopted for the destruction of evil are Matsya (fish), Kurma (turtle), Varaha (boar), Narasimha (the man-lion), Vamana (the dwarf), Parashurama (the warrior-priest), Rama (the prince), Krishna (the cowherd), Buddha-Mayamoha (the sage) and Kalki (the horseman).”
To find these sites we chose to go to the MICDS library in the database section. When we were there we clicked on the art and literature section. To find these sites in the database we searched for Vishnu and India. We learned this technique from Ms.Williamson's demonstration. The database helped very mush because when we would search anything about Vishnu good, reliable sources would come up. The information on advanced searches that we learned from Ms.Williamson also helps a lot when you are trying to make your search more precise. This is what our group did to locate information on Vishnu.
Our piece of art is called Vishnu. The Hindu religion is based off of the belief that the universe is one. "From as early as the sixth century through the tenth, figures with a human head in the center, a boar's head to the right, and a lion's head to the left played an important role in the art and religious beliefs of Kashmir. There is a vertical third eye in the center of the human head, and the figure holds a conch shell in his left hand. The small attendant on the left is Chakrapurusha, the personification of the war discus, originally balanced on his right by Gadadevi, the female personification of Vishnu's battle mace. The upper half of Prithvi, the earth goddess, stands between the figure's legs. The demonic grimacing face, carved in low relief at the back of the halo, suggests this sculpture dates to the late eighth or early ninth century, when such fourth heads were commonly added to these images.Traditionally, sculptures such as this one have been identified as representations of the Hindu god Vishnu and two of his avatars, or descents, during which he took the forms of a lion and a boar in order to save the cosmos."Vishnu is important to the hindu religion because of the different meanings of each symbol placed on Vishnu. The boars head, the lions head, the conch, and the third eye all have a different meaning to Hinduism and represent Vishnu. Personally I like the boar and the lion head on each sides of his face because the lion represents how he saved a girl from the wrath of her evil father and the boar because he rescued the earth from drowning from the giant flood.
http://www.davidrumsey.com/amica/amico1273174-10495.html
"Vishnu as Para Vasudeva-Narayana [India] (1991.301)". In Heilbrunn Time line of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/06/ssn/ho_1991.301.htm (October 2006)